Thanks to Ziggy for this post title…
It’s Hawaii week this week, a special week for all triathletes and sports fans. The event on the Big Island is transcendent in nature, I think mostly in part to NBC’s Emmy-winning coverage. Because of its historical coverage by the mass media (ABC/NBC), Ironman Hawaii appeals across the boundaries of the endurance sports domain into the general sports world, capturing the attention of millions and inspiring many to pursue their dreams.
In celebration of this special event, I thought I would share two items that I composed after I competed in Kona in 2006 (the earthquake year). The first is a pre-race report. It provides some insight on what the pre-race experience looked like from the eyes of a Kona Rookie. Luckily I had some friends there who had competed before and provided a lot of information that helped settle some volatile pre-race nurves. The second item is an email I sent about a month after the race in 2006, trying to seek closure on a long journey that ended in a bit of a disappointing manner. It’s a bit like a race report, but maybe a little more introspective rather than objective. In both I hope you will find some entertainment but also some nuggets of information in there for IM athletes, Kona qualifyers, Kona aspirees and general endurance sports afficianados. A little warning…this is long, so consider taking a break after the pre-race report and coming back for some race relfection dessert. I believe it’s worth it…Enjoy…
Pre-Race Report…
I wanted to capture some thoughts and memories of the race in Kona because I don’t know if I’ll ever get to experience it again, and in case I don’t, I would like to have a reference for my special experience there.
After a long, long travel day from Atlanta to Honolulu and then Honolulu to Kona, we arrived in Kona on Tuesday, October 17 around 6 PM. Flying into Kona it was dusk, but you could still see the lava fields. It was surreal to actually see the same fields you’ve seen on television. It would be one of many other surreal moments in context of reality (actually being in Kona) versus perception (NBC coverage). Bags (including bike) and car pickups were seamless which was great considering it was now midnight in Atlanta and I hadn’t been up that late in weeks if not months.
The Bargers [my inlaws] had arrived around noon that day, so they had graciously prepared a wonderful pasta dinner for us at their condo. On the drive down Palani to Ali’i, it was an absolute circus. There were athletes and entourage everywhere – streets, sidewalks and storefronts. It reminded me of the Olympics with the sheer number of people, the party vibe with music and street noise. On that short stretch of road alone, we drove past Peter Reid, Kate Major and Michellie Jones. At this point, I think it finally hit me that this race was particularly special. The enormity of the atmosphere was palpable, even in a car and more confined from the circus environment that engulfed us.
At the Bargers, we did a basic eat and run, as all of us, especially my mother, were exhausted. The arrangements at the Kona by the Sea were better than expected, highlighted by two lazy-boy recliners in the living room. I would spend many hours in these chairs pre and post-race. By the time we went to bed, it was around 9:30 PM (3:30 EST). Elizabeth and I both woke on Wednesday a little after 5:30 AM (I had The Dream that night, so I knew I was going to be okay for the race). I took the opportunity to unpack and get settled while Elizabeth sat and stretched outside on the deck overlooking the Pacific. We both enjoyed the sunrise together and eventually headed off to the Pier for a little swim. At the Pier we ran straight into Tom Thorum and his girlfriend, Marit. We all hopped in the water and swam together for about 25-30 minutes. The water was very turbid (probably because of the earthquake) and pretty choppy. If the conditions pe
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